Podcast
Business Builders
Hosted by Conor Kearney · EN
I created Business Builders as a weekly interview series to have honest conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors about their journeys; their successes, setbacks, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. As a growing business builder myself, I want to learn directly from my guests and share those insights with you. My goal is to provide listeners with practical takeaways, fresh perspectives, and real inspiration to help you on your own path to building and growing a business.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How To Build A Business That Survives Anything | Pat Byrne, CityJet
1w ago01:13:32Tap to summarizePat Byrne explains why great businesses fail when leaders stop challenging themselves, why resilience matters more than avoiding failure, and how CityJet evolved from a small challenger airline into one of Europe's leading regional aviation operators.Pat Byrne joins Business Builders to share the story of founding CityJet, transforming it from a startup airline challenging the Dublin–London monopoly into an international aviation business that grew to operate almost 50 aircraft across Europe through innovative wet leasing partnerships with some of the world's largest airlines.Pat reflects on building and selling multiple businesses over a career spanning more than five decades, including Cornmarket and CityJet, recounts how a cold call to Richard Branson led to a partnership with Virgin, and explains why the biggest breakthroughs often come from challenging conventional thinking. He also discusses surviving constant crises in aviation, overcoming failure, building customer relationships instead of transactions, creating high-performing teams, avoiding the dangers of groupthink, and why the most successful founders never stop transforming themselves or their businesses.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, aviation, leadership, resilience, transformation, business strategy, innovation, customer experience, scaling, organisational culture, founder mindset, sales, marketing, change management, and building businesses that can survive constant uncertainty."The real risk is not being prepared to take one."🎧 In this episode, you'll learn:• How Pat built CityJet from a startup into a major European regional airline • The cold call that led to a partnership with Richard Branson and Virgin • Why the airline industry is one of the hardest businesses in the world • How one customer conversation transformed Cornmarket into a market leader • Why selling is about relationships, not transactions • How to lead teams through constant uncertainty and crisis • Why founders become prisoners of consensus—and how to avoid it • The dangers of groupthink in business • How Pat approaches failure and bounces back from setbacks • Why great businesses are built through continuous transformation⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 00:56 - Building CityJet from scratch 04:28 - Why airlines are such difficult businesses 06:37 - Surviving constant crisis as a founder 11:00 - Building Cornmarket from one customer insight 18:16 - Why relationships beat transactions in business 20:01 - Selling Cornmarket and starting again 23:15 - Challenging convention and avoiding groupthink 24:34 - How Pat partnered with Richard Branson 31:24 - The mindset behind making bold decisions 40:09 - Selling CityJet to Air France 43:52 - Why Pat returned to CityJet years later 53:04 - Building a career through transformation 56:33 - Pat's philosophy on failure and resilience 59:11 - Helping businesses transform today 01:11:44 - Final thoughtsTopics covered:Entrepreneurship, CityJet, aviation, airlines, Richard Branson, Virgin, Cornmarket, leadership, resilience, business strategy, transformation, sales, customer relationships, marketing, innovation, founder mindset, scaling, organisational culture, failure, risk-taking, change management, consulting, business growth, Irish business.
Transcribe →How We Scaled From €3M To €20M By Starting Over | Oltian Dervishi, Forte Pespa
2w ago00:51:29Tap to summarizeOltian Dervishi explains why every growing business eventually hits a ceiling, why founders must keep taking risks long after they've found success, and how Forte Pespa transformed itself from a traditional contractor into one of Ireland's fastest-growing offsite manufacturers.Oltian Dervishi joins Business Builders to share the story of building Forte Pespa from a small construction business into Ireland's largest aluminium balcony manufacturer, growing from €3 million to €20 million in turnover after completely reinventing the company and its business model.Oltian reflects on the difficult early years of entrepreneurship, including going nine months without taking a salary, explains why rebuilding the business from scratch became the only way to scale, and shares the lessons that transformed both his leadership and the company's trajectory. He discusses the importance of timing, learning through failure, hiring ahead of growth, building a culture driven by hunger rather than credentials, taking on private equity, and surrounding yourself with people who force you to think much bigger than you thought possible.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, manufacturing, leadership, innovation, scaling, risk-taking, company culture, hiring, private equity, business strategy, offsite construction, and building a high-growth manufacturing business from Ireland."You can't teach hunger."🎧 In this episode, you'll learn:• How Forte Pespa grew from €3 million to €20 million by reinventing its entire business• Why every growing business eventually reaches a ceiling—and how to break through it• The advice from Oltian's father that completely changed how he thinks about risk• Why going nine months without a salary was worth it• How failure became his greatest business teacher• Why ambition matters more than talent• How hiring ahead of growth helped the business scale faster• Why the best founders learn to let go of control• How private equity accelerated Forte Pespa's next stage of growth• Why surrounding yourself with bigger thinkers changes your own ambitions⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open01:18 - What is Forte Pespa?02:17 - The €3 million ceiling that changed everything05:42 - Finding the opportunity that started the business07:13 - Landing the first €1 million contract08:10 - Surviving without a salary11:02 - Why timing is everything in business12:13 - Rebuilding the company from scratch15:17 - Lessons from Oltian's father16:21 - Why entrepreneurship beat the 9-to-518:02 - Why ambition matters more than talent19:16 - Learning through failure22:15 - Hiring before you can afford to26:07 - Why every team needs spare capacity27:22 - Reinventing the business to scale30:16 - Growing from €3 million to €20 million34:08 - Building a leadership team36:15 - Creating a winning company culture37:16 - Why Oltian hires for hunger, not CVs40:25 - Controlling the entire supply chain43:00 - Thinking bigger after EY Entrepreneur Of The Year45:59 - Building a business that's impossible to compete with48:18 - Why success hasn't changed his mindset50:10 - Final thoughtsTopics covered:Entrepreneurship, business growth, scaling, manufacturing, offsite construction, innovation, leadership, founders, company culture, hiring, ambition, risk-taking, failure, private equity, operations, strategy, engineering, construction, aluminium, supply chain, acquisitions, productivity, Irish business, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, Forte Pespa.
Transcribe →From CTO to CEO | John Corley, Spanish Point Technologies
3w ago00:56:48Tap to summarizeJohn Corley explains why great products still fail, why ambition matters more than most founders realise, and how Spanish Point Technologies became a global software company powering the music industry.John Corley joins Business Builders to share the story of building Spanish Point Technologies from a small Irish software consultancy into an international technology company employing more than 120 people, generating €27 million in annual revenue, and providing the software behind music royalty systems across the world.John reflects on the costly lessons learned after investing millions into a product that received a standing ovation from Microsoft but ultimately failed commercially, and explains why distribution, market focus and go-to-market strategy matter just as much as building a great product. He also discusses bootstrapping for nearly two decades, transitioning from services to software products, embracing AI to solve real-world problems, preserving company culture during rapid growth, and why founders shouldn't be afraid to think much bigger than they're comfortable admitting.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, software, AI, leadership, product strategy, scaling, company culture, ambition, bootstrapping, and building a global technology business from Ireland."Building a great product isn't enough."🎧 In this episode, you'll learn:• How Spanish Point Technologies grew into a €27 million global software business• Why a standing ovation from Microsoft still wasn't enough to make a product succeed• The difference between building a great product and building a great business• Why bootstrapping helped shape the company's long-term success• How AI is transforming the music industry and royalty payments• Why founders need the confidence to think and communicate more ambitiously• How to scale a business without losing its culture• Why hiring curious people beats hiring experienced people• How John transitioned from CTO to CEO after twenty years• Why some of the most valuable business lessons come from failure⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open01:28 - What is Spanish Point Technologies?05:03 - Is AI changing software forever?07:02 - Using AI to transform the music industry14:12 - How the music software business began17:11 - Bootstrapping the company from day one18:50 - Winning Microsoft's Worldwide Partner of the Year21:42 - Turning down venture capital22:55 - Building products instead of selling services24:05 - The €3 million product that failed26:42 - The lessons that changed the business forever28:15 - Building software for the global music industry31:44 - Learning to think bigger as a founder33:52 - Hiring and developing great people37:23 - Scaling culture as the company grows38:49 - Becoming CEO after twenty years as CTO41:03 - Leadership without changing who you are43:33 - Learning confidence and public speaking46:59 - What entrepreneurs have in common48:28 - Growing the company through ambition49:29 - Why Spanish Point took private equity investment52:09 - Starting the business with no investors55:04 - What's next for Spanish Point Technologies?Topics covered:Entrepreneurship, software, SaaS, AI, artificial intelligence, leadership, scaling, business growth, founders, bootstrapping, software engineering, Microsoft, startups, company culture, hiring, CTO, CEO, product strategy, go-to-market strategy, music industry, music royalties, digital transformation, private equity, Irish business, Spanish Point Technologies.
Transcribe →How An Irish Entrepreneur Cracked The American Market | Dermot O’Shea, Taoglas
Jul 1301:10:42Tap to summarizeDermot O’Shea explains why sales beats fundraising, why America rewards ambitious founders, and how he built Taoglas into a $100 million global technology company.Dermot O’Shea joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story of building Taoglas from a two-person startup into a global leader in antenna technology, employing more than 350 people across ten international locations and generating over $100 million in annual revenue.After starting the business with little more than determination, supportive families and a relentless focus on sales and cashflow, Dermot explains why he ignored the startup obsession with fundraising and instead concentrated on winning customers. He reflects on breaking into the American market, why the US business culture helped accelerate Taoglas’ growth, and why resilience has been the defining characteristic of his entrepreneurial journey.Dermot also discusses building a high-performance culture, hiring people who believe in your vision, dealing with toxic employees, trusting your instincts as a leader, transitioning to private equity ownership, and why purpose - not money - is what continues to drive him more than twenty years into the business.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, sales, resilience, leadership, company culture, global expansion, private equity, purpose, and building a business that lasts.“We were focused on selling. Everyone else was focused on fundraising.”🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:• How Dermot built Taoglas into a $100 million global technology business • Why sales and cashflow mattered more than fundraising in the early years • How an Irish company successfully expanded into the American market • The biggest differences between doing business in Europe and the US • Why resilience is one of an entrepreneur’s greatest competitive advantages • How to build trust with customers and win long sales cycles • Why company culture becomes more important as your business grows • How to identify and deal with toxic employees • What Dermot learned from partnering with private equity • Why purpose becomes more important than money over time⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 01:06 - What is Taoglas? 04:42 - How Taoglas was founded in Taiwan 09:54 - Winning the first customers 14:16 - Starting with no salary and no funding 17:12 - Growing from $1M to $100M 18:21 - When nobody believed the business would succeed 20:52 - Why sales beats fundraising 22:22 - Why great sales is built on trust 25:23 - Expanding into America 28:29 - Europe vs America: two very different business cultures 35:22 - The mindset America taught Dermot 41:41 - Growing from two people to 350 employees 43:47 - Why toxic employees can destroy a company 49:42 - Resilience as a founder’s greatest strength 53:00 - Working less and leading differently 55:09 - Money, purpose and private equity 01:03:00 - Why Dermot may never retireTopics covered:Entrepreneurship, sales, business growth, scaling, leadership, resilience, company culture, startups, founders, cashflow, fundraising, global expansion, American business, European business, private equity, acquisitions, manufacturing, technology, Taoglas, antenna technology, B2B sales, customer trust, CEO mindset, hiring, business strategy, Irish business.
Transcribe →Your Business Can’t Outgrow The Leader You’re Willing To Become | Brendan Mcgurgan, Simple Scaling
Jul 601:14:25Tap to summarize🔔🔔 Brendan McGurgan explains why your business can’t outgrow the leader you’re willing to become; and why scaling starts with self growth first 🔔🔔Brendan McGurgan joins Business Builders to share the lessons from scaling CDE Global from a 15-person engineering company into a global market leader operating across six continents, before founding Simple Scaling to help ambitious business owners grow with purpose.After spending nearly two decades leading one of Northern Ireland’s biggest business success stories, Brendan now coaches founders on the mindset, systems and leadership required to build companies that can scale beyond their dependence on the owner. He explains why most founders become the bottleneck in their own business, why delegation is a leadership skill rather than a management tactic, and why your business will only ever grow as far as you do.Brendan also reflects on navigating the global financial crisis, building a culture that thrives through adversity, creating a compelling vision that people genuinely want to follow, and why success should never come at the expense of your health, relationships or sense of purpose.This is a conversation about leadership, scaling, mindset, culture, delegation, purpose, and building a business that creates lasting impact.“Leaders will only ever scale to the ceiling of their own belief system.”🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: • How Brendan helped scale CDE Global from 15 people to a global business • The mindset shifts every founder must make to keep growing • Why founders become trapped working in their business instead of on it • The power of delegation, systems and eliminating low-value work • How to build a culture that thrives through uncertainty and change • What the global financial crisis taught Brendan about leadership • Why vision is one of a leader’s most important responsibilities • How to inspire people by connecting business goals to personal goals • Why every stage of growth creates new challenges • How to scale without sacrificing your health, relationships or wellbeing • Why purpose-driven businesses create greater long-term impact⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Cold open 01:57 – What is Simple Scaling? 04:27 – Why founders become trapped in their own business 08:09 – Delegation, systems and your zone of genius 10:25 – The mindset that stops founders scaling 13:13 – Why leadership starts with changing yourself 17:28 – Scaling CDE Global from 15 people to a global business 21:22 – Leading through the global financial crisis 27:08 – The principles behind successful scaling 30:05 – How to inspire people with a compelling vision 36:17 – Creating long-term business vision 44:05 – Where founders get stuck 49:39 – Every level has a new devil 51:33 – Balancing business with family life 01:00:27 – Why Brendan founded Simple Scaling 01:10:02 – Why you have an obligation to scale 01:12:16 – Where to learn moreTopics covered:Scaling, business growth, leadership, founder mindset, entrepreneurship, SMEs, delegation, business systems, company culture, vision, purpose, leadership development, personal growth, scaling businesses, coaching, change management, resilience, business strategy, founder bottlenecks, Northern Ireland business, CDE Global, Simple Scaling, scale-ups, high-performance teams, business leadership
Transcribe →How to Build a Business That Survives Every Crisis | Charlie Hamilton, Canadia Flooring
Jun 2900:49:39Tap to summarize🔔🔔 Charlie Hamilton explains how he led a business through the financial crash and Covid; and why the best leaders never stop dealing with reality 🔔🔔Charlie Hamilton joins Business Builders to share the story of Canadia Flooring, one of Ireland’s leading flooring suppliers, and the leadership lessons he’s learned from three decades of building the business.Starting as an accountant before joining the company in its earliest days, Charlie worked his way from sales to Managing Director before eventually completing a management buyout and becoming owner. Along the way, he led the business through the global financial crisis, expanded into the UK when the Irish market collapsed, and later navigated the uncertainty of Covid.Charlie explains why he believes the most dangerous thing a leader can do is ignore reality, why surrounding yourself with experienced people matters, and how building the right team has been the foundation of Canadia Flooring’s success.He also reflects on the management buyout process, the importance of independent boards for SMEs, finding work you genuinely enjoy, and why entrepreneurship is often about spotting opportunities that others don’t see.This is a conversation about leadership, resilience, long-term thinking, business growth, and building a company that lasts.“The real danger is that you don’t deal in reality, and you don’t deal with the facts that are in front of you.”🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:• How Charlie grew from accountant to owner of Canadia Flooring • The lessons from leading through the financial crisis and Covid • Why expanding into the UK transformed the business • The reality of completing a management buyout (MBO) • Why good advice is worth paying for • How an independent board helped grow the company • Why entrepreneurs see opportunities differently • How to build a resilient leadership team • Why listening to customers is a competitive advantage • The importance of planning years ahead, not just months • Why doing work you genuinely enjoy changes everything • What the next decade looks like for Canadia Flooring⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 01:03 - Introducing Charlie Hamilton and Canadia Flooring 02:41 - The story behind Canadia Flooring 09:25 - Building a nationwide business 11:22 - From accountant to flooring 13:16 - Becoming Managing Director before the financial crash 14:35 - Surviving the recession by expanding into the UK 16:09 - Finding work you genuinely love 18:12 - The confidence to lead 22:24 - Leading through crisis 25:06 - Why EO and great advisors matter 27:25 - Why every SME should consider a board 29:39 - Listening to customers 35:30 - Completing the management buyout 42:39 - Becoming an entrepreneur 44:40 - The future of Canadia Flooring 48:46 - 30 years in business 49:41 - Where to learn moreTopics covered:Entrepreneurship, leadership, management buyouts, MBO, business growth, SMEs, Irish business, family business, recession, financial crisis, Covid, resilience, leadership mindset, boards, governance, strategy, customer experience, sales, scaling a business, construction, flooring, importing, entrepreneurship in Ireland, Canadia Flooring, business ownership, founder mindset
Transcribe →The Hidden Problem Facing Women in Leadership | Hannah Wrixon, KELLA
Jun 2201:05:04Tap to summarize🔔🔔 Hannah Wrixon explains why the most successful women are often the least supported; and why she’s building a global network to change that 🔔🔔Hannah Wrixon joins Business Builders to share the story behind Keller and why she believes one of the biggest challenges facing women in leadership is something few people talk about.After building and exiting multiple businesses, Hannah noticed a surprising pattern. While countless initiatives exist to support startups and emerging leaders, many of the women who had already “made it” were quietly carrying enormous responsibilities with very little support themselves. The executives and founders mentoring everyone else often had nobody to turn to when they faced their own challenges.That insight led Hannah to launch KELLA, a private global community for senior women leaders and entrepreneurs designed around peer-to-peer support, leadership development, and meaningful connections.Alongside the story of Keller, Hannah reflects on building and selling Get the Shifts, navigating Covid, understanding her own strengths as an entrepreneur, and why ambition and personal fulfilment are not always the same thing.She also shares her experiences as a woman entering heavily male-dominated industries in the 1990s, the importance of risk-taking, and why she proudly describes herself as “unapologetically ambitious”.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, ambition, identity, and what success really means.“That’s all wonderful. But who’s mentoring you? Silence. Full stop.” 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why the most successful women are often the least supported • The story behind founding Keller and its mission to support women leaders • Why Hannah’s first attempt at building Keller went badly wrong • The costly mistake she made with Builder.ai • How she built and exited Get the Shifts • Why she sold the business after Covid • The challenges of balancing ambition with family life • Why knowing your strengths matters as a founder • How a conversation with her son changed how she thinks about identity • Why she believes women should be unapologetically ambitious • What success means to her today • How Keller plans to become a global network for women leaders⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 01:03 - Introducing Hannah Wrixon and Keller 02:55 - Why she founded Keller 05:18 - “Who’s mentoring you?” 05:47 - The mistakes she made building Keller 08:38 - Why the original tech platform failed 10:27 - Losing money on Builder.ai 12:08 - How Keller works today 18:47 - Expansion into the UK and global ambitions 22:45 - The story behind Get the Shifts 27:34 - The reality of entrepreneurship and cash flow 29:50 - The bank almost stopped payroll 32:21 - Covid and reinventing the business 36:21 - Why she sold the company 37:37 - “You’re my hardest-working, poorest friend” 38:48 - Why entrepreneurs don’t work normally 39:14 - Work addiction and identity 41:07 - Her relationship with her son Callum 43:02 - Why selling the company felt disappointing 46:22 - Finding purpose through Keller 50:34 - Being told there were no jobs for women in engineering 55:03 - The challenges women leaders still face 58:19 - Becoming an accidental entrepreneur 59:37 - Why she isn’t afraid of failure 01:01:10 - Being “unapologetically ambitious” 01:02:47 - What she wants written on her gravestoneTopics covered:Women in business, women in leadership, entrepreneurship, startups, founder mindset, leadership, ambition, purpose, identity, work-life balance, business exits, scaling companies, peer networks, executive leadership, female founders, mentoring, gender equality, confidence, family, personal development, business growth, Keller, Get the Shifts, leadership development, founder psychology.
Transcribe →From Grief To Purpose: Building ADHD Now | Danny Buckley
Jun 1500:51:49Tap to summarize🔔🔔 Danny Buckley shares how grief, purpose, and an ADHD diagnosis at 32 led him to build one of Ireland’s fastest-growing healthcare businesses 🔔🔔Danny Buckley joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story behind ADHD Now and how a series of deeply personal experiences transformed both his life and his career.For much of his life, Danny believed there was something wrong with him. Undiagnosed ADHD left him struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, and self-understanding, while family health crises and the devastating loss of his wife forced him to confront some of life’s hardest challenges.After receiving his own ADHD diagnosis at the age of 32, Danny discovered that understanding himself was only the beginning. Determined to ensure others wouldn’t face the same barriers he had encountered, he set out to build ADHD Now — an online service designed to provide fast access to diagnosis and meaningful support beyond it.What began with a mission to help others has quickly grown into a thriving healthcare business employing almost 100 people, alongside the launch of Autism Care and a broader vision to improve access to neurodiversity and mental health services across Ireland.In this episode, Danny reflects on grief, faith, purpose, emotional resilience, and why success means far more than money. He also explains how building a mission-driven business has helped turn pain into something that positively impacts thousands of lives.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, loss, personal transformation, and the power of finding purpose through adversity.“I thought there was something wrong with me my whole life.”🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:• How Danny’s own ADHD diagnosis at 32 changed his life • Why diagnosis is only the beginning — and why aftercare matters • How losing his wife inspired him to pursue entrepreneurship • Why emotional awareness transformed his mental health • The story behind founding ADHD Now and Autism Care • How the business scaled to almost 100 staff in just a few years • Why purpose matters more than profit • The importance of structure and discipline for people with ADHD • How Danny thinks about success, grief, and happiness • Why Ireland can become a world leader in neurodiversity and mental health support⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 00:40 - Introducing Danny Buckley 01:20 - The vision behind ADHD Now 03:00 - Why diagnosis isn’t enough 07:20 - Growing up undiagnosed 08:30 - Family health struggles and adversity 09:50 - His wife’s illness and cardiac arrest 11:00 - The conversation that changed everything 12:20 - Grief and discovering ADHD 14:00 - Receiving his diagnosis at 32 15:00 - Building ADHD Now 17:30 - The role of faith and purpose 20:20 - Emotional regulation and self-awareness 23:00 - Why children need better support 25:50 - Redefining success 27:00 - Faith, entrepreneurship and the “magic formula” 29:00 - Scaling ADHD Now 35:00 - Leadership and knowing your strengths 37:00 - Why he no longer has bad days 38:30 - Parenting, support and family 41:00 - EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 45:00 - Imposter syndrome and self-belief 48:00 - The future of ADHD Now and mental health in Ireland 49:30 - Final thoughtsTopics covered:ADHD, entrepreneurship, neurodiversity, autism, mental health, grief, resilience, purpose, leadership, emotional regulation, startups, healthcare, personal development, parenting, faith, business growth, founder mindset, emotional intelligence, Ireland, ADHD diagnosis, Autism Care, entrepreneurship and purpose.
Transcribe →Building A Global Kids Brand With Disney, Lego & Netflix | Emmet O'Neill, StoryToys
Jun 801:17:32Tap to summarize🔔🔔 Emmet O’Neill reveals how StoryToys nearly collapsed after years of venture capital funding, how he cut the business from 45 people to 15, and how that turnaround ultimately led to a €35 million children’s media company with more than 300 million app downloads 🔔🔔Emmet O’Neill joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story behind StoryToys, one of Ireland’s most successful digital media companies and the creator of educational children’s apps based on brands including Disney, Lego, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, Bluey, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and more.Starting his career as an illustrator before moving into digital media, Emmet spotted the opportunity created by the arrival of the iPad and helped pioneer a new category of interactive storytelling for children.But the journey was anything but straightforward.After raising significant venture capital and scaling rapidly, StoryToys found itself growing too fast in too many directions. Burn rates soared, the business came close to collapse, and difficult decisions had to be made. Emmet shares the painful reality of cutting the team from 45 people to 15, taking over leadership during the company’s darkest period, and rebuilding the business around profitability rather than fundraising.What followed was a remarkable turnaround.By refocusing on high-quality licensed content for preschool children, securing partnerships with brands such as Lego and Disney, and maintaining a relentless focus on product quality, StoryToys transformed from a struggling startup into a highly profitable global business generating €35 million in annual revenue.Along the way, Emmet reflects on working alongside his brother, the challenges of venture capital, product-market fit, acquisitions, leadership during crisis, creativity in business, licensing major intellectual property, and why he believes great businesses are built by enabling talented people to do their best work.The conversation also explores the future of children’s media, Netflix’s growing games strategy, AI’s impact on creative industries, autism-friendly product design, and why creating products that genuinely improve children’s lives remains at the heart of StoryToys’ mission.This is a conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, product-market fit, and building a business that survives long enough to become extraordinary.🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:• How StoryToys grew from a small Dublin startup into a €35 million business • Why Emmet believes many startups become addicted to venture capital • The mistakes that nearly caused StoryToys to collapse • How cutting the team from 45 people to 15 saved the company • Why profitability changed everything for the business • The story behind securing partnerships with Disney, Lego and Netflix • How StoryToys creates educational alternatives to addictive mobile games • Why creativity can be a powerful advantage in business leadership • The lessons Emmet learned working alongside his brother • How to identify and nurture talent inside an organisation • Why product-market fit matters more than growth at any cost • The realities of scaling a venture-backed business • How StoryToys was acquired and why Emmet stayed on as CEO • What makes successful acquisitions work after the deal is signed • The changing economics of children’s media and entertainment • Why Netflix is becoming an important gaming platform • How AI is being used inside StoryToys today • Why Emmet is less worried about AI than he was five years ago • How StoryToys designs products for autistic children and families • Why meaningful impact matters more than download numbers⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 01:00 - What StoryToys does and the children’s app market 04:00 - Educational games versus addictive mobile apps 10:00 - From illustrator to digital entrepreneur 14:00 - Joining StoryToys and working with family 17:00 - Creativity as a business advantage 20:00 - Building products and securing major licences 26:00 - The Very Hungry Caterpillar and children’s storytelling 31:00 - Venture capital, growth and near-collapse 37:00 - Returning to profitability and saving the business 43:00 - Pandemic growth and finding product-market fit 46:00 - Selling the company and lessons from VC funding 50:00 - Acquisition by Team17 and continued growth 56:00 - The future of children’s media and gaming 59:00 - AI, creativity and the future of software 01:04:00 - The challenges facing children’s content creators 01:08:00 - Building products for autistic children 01:15:00 - Creating meaningful impact through technologyTopics covered:Entrepreneurship, startups, venture capital, StoryToys, children’s media, educational technology, mobile apps, app development, product-market fit, Disney, Lego, Netflix, intellectual property, licensing, acquisitions, leadership, business turnaround, scaling companies, profitability, creative entrepreneurship, digital media, gaming industry, children’s entertainment, AI, artificial intelligence, autism, neurodiversity, company culture, product design, business growth, Irish startups, technology business.
Transcribe →“I Turned a $20M Company Into a $1.45 Billion Exit” | Cathal Friel, Raglan Capital
Jun 101:22:08Tap to summarize🔔🔔 Cathal Friel explains how he built five public companies, turned a $20 million business into a $1.45 billion exit, and why IPOs may be making a comeback for ambitious entrepreneurs 🔔🔔Cathal Friel joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on entrepreneurship, IPOs, public markets, distressed assets, investing, AI, and building companies across multiple industries.Cathal is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and company builder who has launched five public companies over the past fourteen years. His ventures have spanned sectors including oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, renewable energy, and biotechnology.But this conversation is about far more than stock markets and finance.Cathal explains the repeatable model he has developed for identifying opportunities, acquiring distressed assets, raising capital, and building fast-growing public companies. He shares the story of how a struggling oil and gas company ultimately evolved into Amryt Pharma, which was later sold for $1.45 billion.Drawing on decades of experience as both an entrepreneur and investor, Cathal breaks down the realities of IPOs, why many founders misunderstand public markets, and why he believes going public can be a powerful alternative to private equity.Along the way, he reflects on being forced into the family business at sixteen, the lessons learned from rebuilding debt-ridden companies, the importance of rejection, networking, and continuous learning, and why entrepreneurship is a skill that can be developed rather than something people are simply born with.The conversation also explores AI, the future of work, Europe’s economic outlook, leadership, parenting, and why Cathal remains as excited about building businesses at sixty-one as he was decades ago.This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, reinvention, opportunity, resilience, and building businesses that create long-term value.🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:• How Cathal built five public companies in fourteen years • The story behind a $1.45 billion pharmaceutical exit • Why IPOs are often misunderstood by entrepreneurs • The key differences between private equity and public markets • How distressed assets can become valuable businesses • Why investors care more about trust than ideas • The lessons Cathal learned from oil, pharma, biotech and renewables • How public companies can grow through acquisitions • Why rejection is a critical entrepreneurial skill • The importance of networking and building relationships • Why entrepreneurship is a learnable skill • The lessons Cathal learned from running his family business at sixteen • How to think about risk, opportunity and capital allocation • Why AI will reshape work and entrepreneurship • The future of IPOs in Ireland and the UK • Why continuous learning remains one of Cathal’s biggest advantages • The importance of balancing business success with family life • Why he believes Europe is entering a major period of opportunity⏱️ Timestamps00:00 - Cold open 01:00 - Introducing Cathal Friel 02:00 - Building companies through IPOs 07:00 - How Cathal spots market opportunities 12:00 - The story behind Amryt Pharma 18:00 - Distressed assets and creating value 24:00 - Why IPOs differ from private equity 31:00 - Investing in small-cap companies 37:00 - Building businesses through acquisitions 44:00 - The future of public markets 49:00 - Rejection, confidence and entrepreneurship 58:00 - Running the family business at sixteen 01:05:00 - Networking, business cards and relationships 01:12:00 - AI, learning and the future of work 01:21:00 - Europe, geopolitics and opportunity 01:33:00 - Parenting, success and long-term thinking 01:38:00 - Final reflections and adviceTopics covered:Entrepreneurship, IPOs, investing, public companies, private equity, distressed assets, business growth, capital markets, pharmaceuticals, biotech, renewable energy, venture building, acquisitions, leadership, networking, AI, future of work, investing strategy, family business, business resilience, startup funding, innovation, company building, European business, entrepreneurship mindset, scaling businesses.
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